1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sports equipment and more specifically to a toe anchor for a hockey goaltender""s leg pad.
2. Antecedents of the Invention
Concerns for player""s safety led to the development of various types of safety equipment, the use of which was mandated or recommended in conjunction with ice hockey sporting events. A crucial component of a hockey goaltender""s equipment comprised leg pads, which provided injury protection and also increased the goaltender""s goal blocking abilities.
Proper positioning and attachment of goaltender""s leg pads at the optimal anatomic orientation was significant, not only to maximize protection afforded against puck impact and to avoid injury from skate blades, goal posts and the like, but additionally, assured the goaltender""s mobility and also maximized goal screening ability.
As illustrated in U.S. Pat. Des. 382,674, issued to MINNAAR et al., goaltender""s leg pads typically included a relatively wide, thickly padded front, together with lateral padding, knee padding, a front portion which extended above the goaltender""s knee and a depending lower portion which partially covered the toe of the goaltender""s skate.
A plurality of leather straps were provided to properly secure the leg pads, with posterior straps engaging the biceps femoris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscle groups. To prevent the leg pads from riding up a goaltender""s leg, lateral portions of the pads included one or more transverse straps which extended beneath the sole of the goaltender""s skate. Additionally, a toe strap extended from the depending lower portion of the leg pad beneath the sole of the skate. The toe strap included a buckle, with the buckle being subject to rust degradation from contact with ice and, in addition, breakage due to contact with other player""s skate blades, hockey sticks, goal posts and the like.
It had also been attempted to employ laces for the purpose of securing to portion of the goaltender""s leg pad to the skates. A lace was threaded through holes in a toe bridge, i.e. a skirt or web, which was secured to the lower portion of the leg pad. The lace was wrapped beneath the skate and then drawn above the skate and tied, overlying the skate shank. Laces, however, were difficult to tie, became wet and frayed and were often inadvertently cut on the locker room floor by the goaltender""s or other player""s skate blades. Further, laces did not retard axial shifting of the leg pads.
A toe anchor includes a houve or cap which is secured to the depending lower portion of a goaltender""s leg pad. The houve is crotched to form two elongate bands which are drawn through and crossed beneath a toe opening of a skate blade carrier.
A goaltender""s leg pad transverse shank strap, which is drawn beneath the sole of the skate and through a middle blade carrier opening, is threaded through looped ends of each band to securely anchor the leg pad. Alternatively, a goaltender""s leg pad transverse heel strap, which is drawn beneath the heel of the skate and through a heel blade carrier opening, is threaded through looped ends of each band to anchor the leg pad.
The bands are preferably adjustable in length such that the band lengths are sized to accommodate the goaltender""s skates and the position of the transverse shank strap or the transverse heel strap, with excess band length being removed after an initial fitting.
From the foregoing compendium, it will be appreciated that it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is not subject to the disadvantages of the antecedents of the invention aforementioned.
A feature of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is rugged and durable.
A consideration of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is easy to use.
A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is relatively low in cost.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is well suited for mass production fabrication.
A further consideration of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which securely anchors the depending lower portion of a leg pad to a goaltender""s skate.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which is free of metal buckles.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which anchors a leg pad through engagement with conventional goal pad transverse straps.
Yet another consideration of the present invention is to provide a goaltender""s leg pad toe anchor of the general character described which may be readily fitted to accommodate an individual goaltender""s goal pad as well as skate size and style.
To provide an improved method of anchoring a depending lower portion of a goaltender""s leg pad to a goaltender""s skate is yet a further consideration of the present invention.
Other aspects, features and considerations of the present invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.
With these ends in view, the invention finds embodiment in certain combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and series of steps by which the aforesaid aspects, features and considerations and certain other aspects, features and considerations are attained, all with reference to the accompanying drawings and the scope of which will be more particularly pointed out and indicated in the appended claims.